But no sooner had the Government revealed the local authorityallocations last week than questions were raised about just how it hadarrived at some of its figures, particularly those relating to thefunding of graduates for every children's centre and nursery.
John Thorn, head of early years and childcare in Nottinghamshire, saidhe was 'mystified' when he realised that his authority and Derbyshireare to receive 300,000 and 200,000 respectively from theGraduate Leader fund (see story, right) in 2010-11, whileNorthamptonshire is getting more than 1m. He said, 'They areobviously using some kind of formula and I am going to ask for fulldetails of it, because it doesn't make sense to me.'
According to the Department for Children, Schools and Families, the fundhas been 'allocated in a way that more accurately reflects the positionof each local authority with regard to their PVI provider base'. Aspokesperson said, 'The allocations are greater in those localauthorities with big PVI sectors than in those without, in order toadequately fund and achieve this objective.'
Nonetheless, there are some surprising disparities, with Boltonreceiving more than 750,000 for the same period, while Manchesteris getting less than half that amount and Hull getting more than 2m.
A letter sent last week to directors of children's services and localauthority chief executives, from Sheila Scales, director of Early Years,Extended Schools and Special Needs Group at the DCFS, said the fundswere divided into three 'indicative blocks' to match the new dutiesunder the Childcare Act 2006.
In addition to funding for children's centres, local authorities willhave money to support early years outcomes, quality and inclusion and tofund childcare sufficiency and access.
John Thorn said he was pleased that the Government had brought forwarddetails of the funding allocations. He added that local authorities hadnot expected them to be released until the autumn, when thecomprehensive spending review is completed. But he estimates that whileNottinghamshire's allocation for children's centres has gone up, overallthe county council will have 200,000 less than it received lastyear under the General Sure Start Grant.
Welcoming the financial commitment, Steve Alexander, chief executive ofthe Pre-School Learning Alliance, said 'the potential of this funding tosignificantly improve Sure Start, early years and childcare will dependon whether it is from a new revenue source or whether it comprisesexisting childcare subsidies already earmarked for the sector'.
Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the National Day NurseriesAssociation, said that some of the funding for children's centres shouldbe earmarked to support the involvement of the PVI sector. She added,'This type of provision also has the skills to ensure that children'scentres can become sustainable without Government funding, makes use ofexisting provision and gives value for money services.'
Part of the children's centre funding includes money to enable localauthorities to fund two full-time equivalent outreach workers to targetso-called 'hard-to-reach' groups including fathers, teenage parents andfamilies from black and minority ethnic groups.